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VATICAN CITY — If your parents are paying your way to World Youth Day in Madrid and you want them to know where you are, then the Vatican has an iPhone and iPad app you both might want. On the other hand, you can use it just with your friends.

(CNS photos)

The iGPII application, coming to the Apple Store Aug. 1, features a “Friend Finder” so that when you are in Madrid you can find anyone you have befriended with the device. The service is part of the application’s GPS function, which also lets you figure out where you are, where WYD events are and where there is a restaurant open nearby that will accept the WYD pilgrim meal tickets.

The app, developed for the John Paul II Foundation for Youth and carrying the Pontifical Council for the Laity seal of approval, will cost $4.99 from the Apple Store in North America and €3.99 in Europe. Although journalists got a preview peek at the Italian version today, it also will be available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Polish.

Proceeds from app sales will be used by the foundation to help young people from developing countries get to Madrid and to future celebrations of World Youth Day, said Marcello Bedeschi, president of the foundation.

Iacopo Barberini, who works for Futurtech — the techie brains behind the app — said the program comes with a password that will give users free access to wi-fi hotspots in Madrid so they can update the app without paying roaming charges.

In addition to the “Friend Finder,” the app has a detailed WYD program, prayers and papal messages, a city guide, information about the foundation, a ton of info about past WYDs, photo albums featuring Blessed John Paul and Pope Benedict XVI and a varied collection of YouTube videos featuring prayers set to music. One is Bobby McFerrin leading a crowd in singing “Ave Maria.”

I agree with Theresa. This is a poorly written article. Are young people attending world youth day deceitful? As a young Catholic, I affirm the article title is total bull. The Catholic News site has gone way down hill. If I were the USCCB I would shut this operation down and start fresh. CNS needs a full makeover. The movie reviews often are complete baloney. The site focuses way too much on the abuse scandal as if it’s the only thing happening in the Church. CNS floods the site with scandal articles. My grievances here are many.

Terrible Headline. Very sad that a Catholic blogger promotes that kind of selfish ideas. If it was intended just to grasp the attention of the readers, it was a very poor journalistic resource. If she meant it, then she shouldn’t be blogging here. Period.

I agree, bad title. As a mother of two teenagers, I have my own concerns about the “worldliness” of World Youth Day events .. suggesting keeping secrets from parents about what goes on there doesn’t help the perception. What is this, Las Vegas for teenagers?!